


Awkward Teens

by sugarsweetsunshine



Series: Pegoryu Week 2020 [5]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Awkward Flirting, First Dates, Fluff, M/M, Pegoryu Week 2020, awkward teenagers, listen theyre teenage boys their first date would be awkward as hell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:40:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25907476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarsweetsunshine/pseuds/sugarsweetsunshine
Summary: Akira and Ryuji are headed out for their first date. They have no idea what they're doing but they're still gonna have a good time.
Relationships: Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji
Series: Pegoryu Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1874080
Comments: 9
Kudos: 52





	Awkward Teens

**Author's Note:**

> im on a roll i did not expect to get through this many days in a row. i might've just jinxed myself but who knows i'm still gonna keep going at it. a lot of these prompts don't end up written the way i wanted them to but the support you guy's have been giving me is making me feel so much better about finishing these. thank you so much!!
> 
> oh fun fact: i was the one who came up with this prompt and the lazy sunday prompt SOLELY because i wanted to see ryuji and akira going on their first date as awkward teenagers AND i just wanted to see them chillax for a lil bit ya know. the amount of art and fics coming out of this year's pegoryu week just makes my heart so happy yall are just amazing and this truly is the best time of the year.

“Mona, which one?” Akira held up two shirts for his cat to choose from. “The brown jacket or the black jacket?”

Morgana paused in grooming his face to look between his two options. He doubted that giving his opinion would really help Akira in making a choice given his track record for picking clothes tonight and the piles of clothing already piled on the floor and the bed.

“The black one.”

“Are you sure? Because I think I have another-”

“Oh my gosh, just pick one!”

It took Akira another twenty minutes to decide to wear the black jacket. By that time, Ryuji had already texted him and he didn’t have time to put the rest of his clothes away. He just asked Morgana to tidy up a little while he was gone and flew down the stairs.

Little did he know, Mona was just going to put some clothes in a pile and take a nap.

Sojiro was downstairs at the bar, smoking a cigarette and finishing up the paper from today. The cafe was still open but they weren’t likely to get any more customers today. When Sojiro looked up, he saw Akira looking into the mirror by the sink, fixing up his hair and moving his bangs around. His hair still looked messy and nothing really changed but Akira seemed real picky about it.

“The kid’s waiting outside for you.” Sojiro said after watching him for a straight minute. Akira jumped and tried to hide the embarrassed blush on his face.

“T-Thanks, Boss.” Akira straightened up his jackets, checked his pocket for his wallet and phone, and started heading towards the door with his head down.

“Have fun. Don’t be out too late.” Sojiro grinned, delighting in the way Akira’s shoulders hunched and how pink his ears turned. 

Akira stepped outside the cafe and the sudden breeze helped cool down the flush on his face. The bell jingled as the door opened and Ryuji was standing in front of him, with his phone in his hand and looking as startled as Akira.

“H-Hey, Akira!” Ryuji said, a little too loudly, and tried to hide his cringe.

“Hey, Ryuji.” Akira lightly tugged on a stray curl, just to do anything with his hands.

For about five seconds, the two boys awkwardly shuffled their feet and avoided eye contact in a desperate attempt to think of something to say.

“So, um. Do you wanna, like… get going?” Ryuji slowly managed to get out, his bad leg shaking like crazy. He had a bad habit of shaking it whenever he was thinking a lot.

“Y-Yeah. Let’s go.” Grateful for the chance to move past this painfully awkward experience, Akira took the lead out of the Yongen alley towards the train station, with Ryuji coming up beside him.

They were suddenly conscious about where their hands and arms were at all times while they walked together. Every brush of a sleeve or a finger made them jump and blush and it almost felt like they were stepping on breaking glass. The streets allowed them to keep a good distance from each other but the trains were a different story. They were both hoping to get seats but more people continued to pile in until Akira and Ryuji were pressed right up against each other, shoulder to shoulder.

Had it been any other context, it would’ve been normal. Personal space had never been a problem before between the two of them; Ryuji was known to practically drape himself over Akira at their hideouts or while they were hanging out in the attic or Ryuji’s apartment. Hell, it would’ve been _weird_ if Ryuji wasn’t all touchy-feely with Akira at this point. From day one, their friendship was fun and comfortable. 

Now that they were going on a date ( _an actual, romantic date_ ), things were way different. Akira had never thought that this would ever happen and hadn’t prepared for the possibility while Ryuji didn’t have any romantic experience so he was relying on his improv skills to make it through the night without making a fool out of himself. 

_(He’d asked a week beforehand. They were all in the attic, wrapping up another meeting after delving into Mementos. They were exhausted and sore but when Ryuji asked for Akira’s time after everyone was gone, he couldn’t say no._

_“Hey, ‘Kira? Do you.... Would you, uh… I mean-” Ryuji struggled to say what he wanted for a while, nearly tugging out his hair from fidgeting so much._

_“U-Um. Do you wanna… goonadatewithme?”_

_It took Akira a few seconds to even comprehend that_ Ryuji Sakamoto _was asking him out on a date. It felt like a dream and he was half-tempted to pinch himself just to make sure._

_“You want to go out? With_ me? _” He had to ask because his mind still wouldn’t let him believe that this was really happening._

_“Y-Yeah. I like you.” Ryuji looked and sounded so sheepish and it was so unlike him but so, so cute. “I mean, if you don’t want to, we can just forget about it and move on. I don’t wanna make it weird or anything and we can just be friends.” He was rambling and avoiding eye contact. Akira had never seen his face look so red. He was too busy thinking about it to notice that Ryuji’s confidence was disintegrating at an extremely rapid pace._

_“Yes!” He shouted unintentionally, startling himself and Ryuji and maybe even Sojiro downstairs. I-I mean! Yes, I would love to go out. With you.”_

_He watched Ryuji pause and take in the information, a bashful smile on his face. “Oh. Oh, cool.” He shoved his hands into his sweatshirt pockets and tried to look anywhere where Akira’s face wasn’t. “So, uh, I’ll text you later, and we’ll figure out where to go, yeah?” Now that Akira agreed to a date, Ryuji seemed a little less nervous but his cheeks were still a cute, rosy pink._

_“Yeah. That sounds great.”)_

They’d decided on the monjayaki restaurant they’d gone to a while back, when they were still investigating the track team’s new coach. They’d talk about the movies or their favorite ramen place, but they decided this place would be better as a first date.

‘First date’. It still made Akira smile and blush like a schoolgirl getting asked out by her senpai.

As soon as they sat down, facing each other, that was when it really sunk in for the both of them that _holy shit, we’re on a date._ Like an actual date, the kind that couples go on. Does one date make them a couple, though? Is there a set amount of dates you have to go on before you can officially be a couple?

Akira idly played with his napkin while scrambling for something to say. Ryuji looked to be in the same boat; Akira could see his leg bouncing up and down just out of the corner of his eye. But, what were they supposed to say? This was the part of the date where you make small talk and wait for the food to arrive, right? But they were already best friends who knew practically everything about each other and where the hell do you even start talking when you’re on a date with your best friend?

“Hey, Ryuji?” The way Ryuji lifted his head reminded Akira of a puppy and it was _very_ hard not to smile and laugh at it. “Why did you ask me out?” 

It was something he’d been wondering the whole week while waiting for the date. Akira knew he’d been crushing hard on Ryuji ever since the first week of school but he just assumed that Ryuji was straight and he had no chance. He still hadn’t been convinced that the date was real and happening until the day before. 

Ryuji’s face flushed and he nibbled on his lower lip to think about his answer. Akira was about to say forget it and apologize for making him uncomfortable when he started speaking.

“I… I like you, Akira. Like, I _really_ like you.” His cheeks turned a darker shade of red and there was a wobble in his voice but he kept going. “I mean, you’re my best friend. I think you’ve been my best friend ever since we dealt with Kamoshida. I don’t really know when I started liking you more and I was kinda afraid you would be weirded out by it but I just decided to go for it and… here we are, I guess.” Ryuji cleared his throat and all of a sudden, the floor looked like the most interesting thing in the world for him.

Akira felt his heart stutter a little when Ryuji called him his best friend. Granted, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that the two of them were as close as could be and Akira shared a bond with Ryuji that wasn’t like the bonds he shared with the rest of his friends. But hearing him say it outloud, along with confirming that Ryuji had feelings for him, made him happy for reasons he couldn’t really explain.

“Oh.” He probably could’ve said something more eloquent but his thought process was reduced to only three braincells and all three were focused on how cute Ryuji looked. “I’m glad.”

Dinner was quick and easy after that. For some reason, just getting it out in the open helped calm Akira’s nerves and helped the conversation flow.

They decided to walk around a little before heading back. The sun had gone down and the shop and street lights were starting to come on. Shibuya was crowded but, oddly enough, it felt like it was just the two of them.

“You know, I was really surprised when you asked me out.” He didn’t know what prompted him to say it but he was glad he did.

Ryuji turned to look at him as they walked and Akira caught his smile just out of the corner of his eye. “Yeah, well. I kinda just sprung it on you. Sorry about that.”

“No, it wasn’t that.” Akira laughed and Ryuji raised an eyebrow in confusion. “I mean, I didn’t expect it to happen. That’s why I kinda froze when you asked me.” 

They stopped walking near a park entrance, sitting down at a bench and watching the people walk by. “I never thought that you would have feelings for me. I’ve had a crush on you since… I don’t know when it started. You were the first person to… I don’t know, actually give a shit about me ever since I got here. You didn’t even know me and yet you were still the nicest person I’d met in Tokyo.” Akira, feeling a little bolder, scooted closer to Ryuji on the bench. Their thighs touched and Akira felt Ryuji stiffen while color flooded his face.

“I didn’t think you liked guys that way, so I never really did anything about it.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t think I liked guys, either. Until you showed up, I guess.” The confession was quiet and shy but he could tell that Ryuji meant it. “I’m the same way, ‘Kira. You didn’t know me and you put yourself at risk to save my life.”

“Hey, you did it first.” Akira elbowed him gently in the ribs until Ryuji laughed and pushed him away. They were now closer than they were before, thighs pressed against each other and knees now touching. Akira took the chance and gently grabbed Ryuji’s hand resting on his leg. He felt Ryuji’s muscles tense but then their fingers interlaced and he squeezed Akira’s hand.

“I’m really glad you asked me out tonight, Ryuji.” Akira leaned in and rested his head on Ryuji’s shoulder. Ryuji felt warm and sturdy and he smelled of deodorant and shampoo. The night air and the breeze were making him a little chilly but the noises of the city was a complete afterthought. 

“I’m just glad you said yes.” Akira pinched his ribs and Ryuji’s yelp was loud enough to draw plenty of disapproving looks but who cared.

The train ride back was a lot less awkward. There were less people there so they felt a little less cramped, but that didn’t stop them from sticking to each other like glue. 

Yongen-Jaya was quiet as always; nighttime never changed that. The shops were closed and people were heading indoors for the night. Leblanc was closed but the lights and TV were still on.

They stopped in front of the cafe and turned to each other. The awkward feelings had come back in that they had no idea how to properly end the date. Do they hug? Do they _kiss?_

“I had a really great time tonight, Ryuji.”

“Yeah, I did too, ‘Kira.” Ryuji reached for his hand, hesitated, and then went for it again. His fingertips gently brushed against Akira’s until they lazily tangled together. “You think we could… do this again sometime?”

Akira smiled and glanced down at their joined hands. When he looked back up, they made eye contact. Something compelled them both to lean in, but slowly, just enough time for either of them to back off. Akira found himself closing his eyes as they leaned in closer. His lips brushed against something soft and he had to suppress a shiver.

Before their lips could really connect, the door to Leblanc swung open and the light blinded them.

“Akira! Quit making out with your boyfriend! Sojiro made us curry!” Futaba stood in the doorway, wearing a devious grin on her face and, for some reason, Akira’s sweater. Morgana came up behind her, peeked around her leg to see what was going on, rolled his eyes, and wandered off again.

“Futaba, leave Akira alone.” Sojiro’s voice came from inside the cafe, sounding a lot like a bored parent trying to break up a fight between his kids.

The sudden tension breaker nearly made Akira’s heart stop. Their hands were still together but they were holding onto each other way too tightly, more out of fear than romance. Ryuji’s face was completely red and he looked as flustered externally as Akira felt internally.

“Fine, I’m coming, I’m coming.” Akira heaved a big sigh, his heart rate slowly going back to normal. Before he left, he turned to Ryuji and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “I’ll call you later.”

“Wha-”

Akira let go of his hand and walked into the cafe, sending a cheeky wink Ryuji’s way before the door closed and Ryuji could hear Futaba and Morgana teasing Akira inside.

It was a solid minute before Ryuji recovered from the shock so he could start heading home. He didn’t even wait to get on the train before texting Akira.

_Movie next Saturday?_

**Author's Note:**

> oh btw, if there's any like typos or weird sentences please let me know cuz im running on VERY low energy this week and even if i did catch something during editing i didnt have the brain capacity to fix it


End file.
